ANNAPOLIS—In an effort to battle childhood obesity, some legislators are seeking to regulate the types of drinks Maryland restaurants offer as part of childrens meals.

A bill presented Tuesday by Delegate Cheryl Glenn, D-Baltimore City, at the state House Economic Matters Committee, would limit drink options included in childrens menu meals to bottled water, low-fat milk or 100 percent fruit juice. Other drinks, like soda, could still be offered, but for an additional charge.

Fast-food chains in the state, like Burger King and Subway, would fall under the regulation, as would traditional dine-in restaurants.

A child who drinks one 8-ounce sugary drink per day increases their odds of becoming obese by 60 percent, according to a study by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University in 2012.

Going out to eat is very normal for kids now. Its not the treat it was. We want to make the healthier choice the easier choice and allow parents to make choices for their children without restaurants interfering, said Robi Rawl, executive director of Sugar Free Kids Maryland.

She calls the rise in childhood obesity a public health crisis and says recommendations are not enough, as only 3 percent of restaurants nationwide comply with recommended National Restaurant Association dietary guidelines.

We spend some $2 billion in Maryland on diseases that could be prevented, said Dr. Brian H. Avin, former president of MedChi, the Maryland State Medical Society. If we reduce that burden, the state would have money to spend on other things.

Avin, a neurologist, said that a change in the default beverage offered by restaurants would cut out the conflict between parents and kids at mealtime and help change individuals behavior over time.

But Delegate C.T. Wilson, D-Charles, said that he thinks there is a larger issue in question: parenting.